Death toll at Owiny Ki Bul skirmishes roses to 7 people

TORIT – The recent fighting between government SPLA recruits and locals of Owiny Kibul resulted in the death of 7 civilians and minor injuries to 3 recruits, a civil servant in Magwe County told the Upper Nile Times.
The fighting between largely unarmed locals and SPLA cadres lasted for two hours last week. the fighting according to the official was caused by misunderstanding between locals and the recruits.

“SPLA recruits asked elders for some food and a cattle as they ran out of food. The request was initially formal because the recruits left their guns behind in search of food. suddenly after they were denied, a few of the recruits ran to their barrack and grab their guns to force the hands of the locals so that they can be given. they tried to threaten them in order to give up but the locals refused to. Than one guy shot a bullet in the air. the locals thought that there is a war going on. people gathered from all over the place with arrows, bows and a few guns. so this is what cause the fighting. The SPLA then responded aggressively and killed 2 people on the spot. 5 other casualties later died of their wounds.” an official who only gave his first name as John described the situation to the Upper Nile Times.

The situation has since been restored to normalcy. SPLA recruits were ordered to return to their barracks by their administrative units.